Man Raises Alert After 10-hour Sea Swim

[mrmoshe]

Man raises alert after 10-hour sea swim

A FISHERMAN has "miraculously'' survived a 10-hour swim to shore to alert authorities after a trawler sank off the New South Wales north coast.

A major sea rescue operation is now underway in a bid to find two other men who were also onboard the stricken vessel.

"A search has commenced near Byron Bay for two men after a third man has miraculously swum to shore after their vessel overturned,'' a NSW Police Force spokesman said late today.

"About 4pm (AEDT) a walker located a 39-year-old man on New Brighton beach in a distressed state.

"He stated he had been swimming for about 10 hours after their fishing trawler sunk.''

Police have been told the two missing fishermen were last seen clinging to a flotation device about seven nautical miles out to sea.

A search is underway involving the marine police, the Westpac rescue helicopter and volunteer marine agencies.

The 39-year-old man has been taken to Mullumbimby Hospital.

"He appears to be in a stable conditions suffering the effects of exhaustion and dehydration,'' the spokesman said.

[arpie]

Just heard a fishing trawler sunk off Brunswick Heads late yesterday.

From ninemsn

A search resumed at first light today for two fisherman last seen clinging to an Esky 13km out to sea after their trawler overturned off Byron Bay on the NSW north coast.

Deckhand Michael Williams, 39, from Yamba,survived an amazing 10-hour swim to shore through treacherous waters yesterday, ending up on a beach suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.

He left behind his two mates, 40-year-old skipper Charlie Picton and a younger deckhand "JJ", clinging to a flooting cooler from the stricken vessel, which left Yamba on Monday for a four-day prawning expedition.

It is believed the trawler, Sea Rogue, sank after possibly striking an offshore reef before dawn on Wednesday.

But the alarm was not raised until about 4pm (AEDT) when Mr Williams made it to New Brighton Beach — a feat of endurance that amazed emergency services.

A New Brighton resident out walking his dog found the fisherman on the sand with blood covering his legs, News Ltd newspapers report.

"He was exhausted but he was smiling and he was just glad to be alive," he reportedly said.

The police marine division, a Westpac rescue helicopter, the Australian Search and Rescue and volunteer marine agencies searched into the night but found no trace of the missing fisherman, who are both from Yamba.

A Westpac Helicopter spokesman said the search had not yielded any definite wreckage from the trawler, News Ltd reported.

Today's search will involve ten helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft while police will continue to patrol the coastline in case the men have managed to swim back to shore.

[mrmoshe]

They just found one of the missing fishermen....Lucky fella.

Hope they can find the second bloke now.

Second of three fisherman rescued

ONE of two fishermen lost at sea after their fishing trawler sank off the coast of Byron Bay in northern NSW has been found alive.

More to come

A second fisherman missing from a trawler that overturned off Byron Bay on the NSW north coast has been found by search helicopters.

This comes after another fisherman on the trawler survived a remarkable 12-hour swim to shore yesterday, ending up on a beach suffering from exhaustion and dehydration.

Rescue helicopters continue to search for a third missing fisherman.

A spokeswoman for Australian Search and Rescue said the fisherman was found about 16 km north-east off the coast of Ballina.

"One of our rescue helicopters recovered one male about 8.15am,'' she said.

"He's now been tranferred to hospital and there are still ten aircraft searching for the other male.''

It is believed the trawler, which operates out of Brunswick Heads, north of Byron Bay, sank after possibly striking an offshore reef before dawn yesterday.

But the alarm was not raised until about 4pm (AEDT) when a 39-year-old fisherman made it to New Brighton Beach - a feat of endurance that amazed emergency services.

The man said he left his two male companions clinging to a flotation device about 13km out to sea.

The police marine division, a Westpac rescue helicopter, the Australian Search and Rescue and volunteer marine agencies searched into the night but found no trace of the pair.

The survivor was reported to be in a stable condition in Mullumbimby Hospital. He is in a stable condition.

The second man has been taken to Ballina Hospital.

With AAP

Pete.

[vipernut]

Heard this morning on the news that another man had been rescued ,found him floating holding on to an esky.

Stephen

[mrmoshe]

Rescued fisherman 'stable' after ordeal

A 41-year-old fisherman pulled from the sea today about 30 hours after his boat capsized is said to be in stable condition in hospital.

The unnamed man was airlifted to safety this morning, a day after another crew member reached safety by swimming 12 hours to shore near Byron Bay in northern New South Wales.

A search is continuing for a third man.

A spokesman for Ballina District Hospital said the man rescued today arrived about 9am (AEDT) and was "undergoing treatment and ongoing assessment".

"His condition is stable."

The 40-year-old man who swam to shore yesterday is in a satisfactory condition at Mullumbimby District Hospital.

It is believed the men's trawler, which operates from Brunswick Heads, north of Byron Bay, may have sunk after hitting a reef before dawn yesterday.